Staff Reports
Some things are just beyond belief, but trust the bleeding hearts in Silicon Valley to mess up even video games, the last bastion of freedom from political correctness. Gaijin Entertainment, a game developer, managed to incorporate an image of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster into the promotional artwork for their combat simulator, War Thunder. Sharp-eyed gamers on Reddit were quick to notice this appalling blunder.
One user aptly pointed out the glaringly familiar explosion in the background, reminiscent of the Challenger’s tragic failure. The missile-firing jet in the artwork added insult to injury, making it look as though the American crew was downed by enemy fire. Of course, for those who still remember real history, NASA documented this tragedy as an accident caused by mechanical failure, not some fictional aerial combat as Gaijin seems to depict.
Developer Gaijin Entertainment releases controversial key art for War Thunder that displays the aftermath of a national tragedy. https://t.co/qxhorN6k9T
— Game Rant (@GameRant) June 25, 2024
The backlash hit the official War Thunder forums like a tsunami. The cascade of outrage was inevitable. Gamers and patriots alike compared the promotional materials side by side with the Challenger photo, showcasing the grievous disrespect. A community manager from Gaijin essentially admitted to the blunder, saying the image was part of an aerial explosion reference pack the artists used.
Spare everyone the excuses. Is this ignorance or just another example of tone-deaf corporate pandering? Regardless of what Gaijin claims, the damage is done. They pledged to alter the artwork and assured everyone that this ‘mistake’ wouldn’t happen again. However, trust in these so-called assurances is as shaky as the promises from any politician these days.
This debacle underscores the rampant ignorance and lack of basic respect that big companies often harbor. While Gaijin scrambles to do damage control, it’s another clear sign to remain ever vigilant. Whether it’s in virtual combat or the real world, standing up for American values seems to be an Art that’s lost on many of today’s elites.
